When it comes to campaign fundraising, former Rhode Island governor and Democratic presidential hopeful Lincoln Chafee stands out—not for his success, but for his abysmally low numbers. Chafee, who transitioned from Republican to independent before declaring as a Democrat, raised less than $30,000 in his first quarter as a candidate, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
This figure is dwarfed by the fundraising hauls of his Democratic competitors. Hillary Clinton’s campaign announced an astonishing $45 million raised during the same period, more than 1,500 times Chafee’s total. Even Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, often labeled an underdog despite his growing popularity, secured $15 million—over 500 times Chafee’s amount.
Adding to the disparity, most of Chafee’s campaign funds came out of his own pocket. He loaned $364,000 to his campaign, supplementing the modest contributions he received from donors, leaving him with roughly $329,000 in cash on hand. That’s a financial war chest more akin to a competitive House race than a presidential campaign. Even P.G. Sittenfeld, a relatively unknown Democratic Senate candidate in Ohio, reported $725,000 cash on hand—a figure that makes Chafee’s resources seem minuscule.
Despite a fleeting moment in the spotlight—thanks to his unconventional proposal to adopt the metric system in the United States—Chafee’s campaign has failed to gain any significant momentum. According to the RealClearPolitics polling average, he ranks dead last in the five-person Democratic primary field, registering at 0.0 percent. By comparison, former Virginia Senator Jim Webb and ex-Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, also trailing Clinton and Sanders, show slightly more promise at 2.3 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively.
Chafee’s fundraising filings hint at a campaign that began long before his formal announcement in June. He loaned his campaign $164,000 as early as January 9, following it up with another $200,000 after officially entering the race. Yet, the campaign’s expenditures reveal a barebones operation, with nearly $64,000 spent on a handful of key personnel, including longtime advisers Jonathan Stevens and Debbie Rich. The campaign also enlisted a Rhode Island-based firm, Figmints Delicious Design and Creative Marketing, for website design and fundraising efforts.
Adding to the underwhelming picture are Chafee’s reimbursed personal expenses, including gas receipts, a DoubleTree hotel stay, and even an $18 parking fee at a train station—minor expenditures that underscore the modest scale of his campaign.
For Chafee, the uphill battle isn’t just financial; it’s about finding a message and momentum in a race dominated by bigger names and heftier bank accounts. Without a dramatic shift, his campaign may become more of a historical footnote than a serious contender in the Democratic primary.
